Dispatches from Petaluma

For many, "I don't know about art but I know what I like," is the go-to line when it comes to matters of aesthetic appreciation. That said, public art – meaning artwork permanently placed in public spaces for mass consumption – often gets a raised eyebrow, shrugged shoulders, or at worse, an [...]

Conventional wisdom suggests that artists should "think big" – if not in the size of their work, then in the scope of their vision. But what if their work was restricted to a format that's 4-inches by 6-inches and meant to be mailed? Apparently, when Petaluma artists "think small" big things [...]

Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit, better known locally as the "SMART train" will be making its first stop in Petaluma sometime before the end of the year (they say). When it does, here are three factoids to keep you on the right side of the tracks. The Cameras Will Be Real [...]

"Will it Blend?" is a popular viral video series produced by blender manufacturer Blendtec, wherein a man clad in a lab coat puts sundry items into an electric mixer (a Rubik's Cube, glow sticks, an iPhone) to answer the title question. Soon the Aqus Community's Artists' Mixer attempts the same but [...]

So, it’s not exactly like the rule of Fight Club (you do not talk about Fight Club) but it is all dudes competing under the radar. Chances are if you've walked into a neighborhood bar like the Buckhorn Tavern on a Wednesday night you've seen these guys in action – but [...]

Window shop in downtown Petaluma long enough and you might wonder which pill you took – the one that makes you larger or the one that makes you small (for the record, the ones that Mom gave you don't do anything at all). There's a distinct Alice in Wonderland theme at [...]

Many Petalumans don’t know where they’re going to be next week, let alone next year. But local wine aficionados who are used to thinking in terms of annual vintages, may already be saying “Same time, next year” when it comes to the “Petaluma Gap Cruising the Rhone River.” The week-long [...]

For Petalumans of a certain generation, our only cultural references to spice are David Lynch’s production of Dune, or the Spice Girls – and neither one is too savory. This has changed thanks to Wind McAlister, who’s approaching her first anniversary as the reigning Sonoma Spice Queen – which is both the [...]

If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Yes, especially, when it falls into a power line. It makes a kind of alarming "zzzapp!" sound. And it happened around 6 PM yesterday evening according to a user of the [...]

Just over two years ago, New York Times correspondent Bonnie Tsui opined that Petaluma had been “elevated to a culinary destination worthy of a visit.” This appraisal came after a spate of restaurants opened that heralded something of a new wave in local cuisine. Of the four restaurants profiled, three [...]